Stapling pliers



July 27, 1937-` E. c. BUNNELL STAPLING PLIERs v miga sept. 14, 1954 L E W MMU VLB WG L R A E A TToRNEY.

Patented July 27, 1937l UNITED STAES PATENT GFFECE STAPLENG PLIERS Earl C. Bunnell, Stratford, Conn., assigner to Neva-Clog Products, ine., Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 14, i934, Serial No. 743,988

9 Claims.

I n stapling pliers and other stapling devices here` tofore in use the staples were apt to become clogged due for the most part to incompletion of the driving stroke, in which case the partially driven staple would remain in the device while l0 the driving mechanism returned to position to drive the next staple, with the result that the staples would then become clogged. Obviously the clogged staple tended to damage the device and its removal was both difficult and inconvenient. In some instances special means have been built into the stapling device for the purpose of removing the clogged staples.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stapling device in which the possibility of clogging the staples is removed, and to this end I propose to provide a locking mechanism which will necessitate complete operation of the staple driving means, once the stapling operation has begun, before the driving mechanism can again become operative to drive another staple. An-

other object is to'provide a stapling plier of very compact form, free from projecting or exposed moving parts, so that the same may be conveniently carried in the pocket or in a brief case. A further object is to provide a mechanism of extreme simplicity, which will not readily get out of order, and which may be easily disassembled for the purpose of repair or replacement of parts.

Another object is to provide a stapling plier having a relatively deep mouth for receiving the material to be stapled to the end that the staples may be inserted at a considerable distance from the edge of the material.

With the above and other objects in view an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a stapling plier, according to the exemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention.

50 Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the staple guide casing taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary verticalsectional views showing various operative positions of the staple driving mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 9 0 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. l0 is a perspective view of the locking slide member employed.

Similar reference characters indicate correl() spending parts throughout the several gures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the stapling pliers, according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated therein, comprises a housing 15.

lli preferably formed of formed up sheet metal, having the upper grip-handle l l formed integrally therewith, the lower portions of the side walls ofthe housing having slots l 2 5 2 constituting the v inner end of the material receiving mouth, the 20 portions I3 l3 of the side walls below these slotshaving the anvil member i4 secured between them as by spot-welding, and these portions |3 l3 and the anvil member constituting the lower jaw of the pliers. The anvil member is of channel form, and at its forward end has a staple bending pocket or recess l5 pressed therein.

The forward edges of the side walls of the housing above the slots l2 l2 are of arcuate form, as at I6 l6, the arc being concentric to 30 the pivot pin ll secured between the side walls, and upon which the upper jaw and staple driving lever are pivotally mounted, as will presently more fully appear. At the Lipper ends of the arcuate edges M l the forward edges of the 35 side-walls extend vertically as at l8 l8 to form limit stop portions.

The upper jaw and staple carrying guide of the plier is of box-like form and comprises a member i9 of U-form in cross-section, its transverse 40 portion forming the base wall of the box, a member 2t also of U-form in cross-section, but inverted, and disposed between the side walls of the member le with its forward edges inwardly offset from the forward edges of the member i9. 45 its transverse portion constituting the top wall of the boX, and a member 2l also oifU-'form in cross-section but disposed laterally with its side walls at the outer sides of the Side walls of the member le, its transverse wall abutting the forward edges of the member lil and being slightlyA spaced from thevforward edges oi the member 20 and constituting the front wall, of the box. 'I'he spacing of this front wall from the member 20 forms a vertical guide passage 22 for the staple 55 CII driver, as will hereinafter more` fully appear. The forward edge of the transverse portion of the member i5 is cut back, as at 22a, to form an outlet passage for the staples in line with the passage 22. The three members iS, 263 and 2l are secured together by riveted cross-pins 23, 2li and 25. The rearward edges of the members i9, 20 and 2l are shaped, as at 26, to conform to the forward edge portions i6 and i8 of the housing I0.

At its lower end the member i5 is provided with a rearwardly extending elongated channel extension portion 2l for receiving the staple strip and staple feeder. A staple carrier bar 28 of U-shape in cross-section is secured to the base of the member i9 and its extension portion 2'1, its forward edge being ush with the inner edge of the passage 22 formed by the forward edge of the member 25. The side walls of the carrier bar 28 are slightly spaced from the side walls of the member i9 and the extension 2, and the top edges are slightly spaced from inwardly bent flanges 25E-29 provided at the upper edges of the side walls of the extension 2i, thereby providing right angular guide spaces at each side in which the inverted Ushaped staple strip A is guided, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The lower edges of the side walls of the member 25 are provided with inwardly bent flanges 35-35 in alignment with the flanges 22-253 and forming continuations of these flanges for guiding the staples up to the passage 22. A pair of upwardly bent apertured ears 3i-3i are formed on the flanges 22S-29 and engage the pin il to thus pivotally mount the upper jaw and staple carrying member.

The staple strip, as seen in Fig. 2, is pressed forwardly, so that the first staple is disposed in the passage 22, by means of staple feeder 22 of inverted U-shape in cross-section mounted on the bar 28 and having a pair of apertured lugs disposed within the channel of the bar 25 and slidably engaged by a rod Sli having a head 35 at its inner end disposed at the forward side of the forward lug 33, a spiral Spring 35 being disposed about the rod between the rearward lug 33 and a locking plate 3'! secured upon the outer end of the rod. This locking plate has a finger gripping extension 38 at its base and at one side is provided with a lug 39 adapted to be turned into locking engagement with a shouldered notch d5 provided in the side wall of the extension 3l. By turning the lug out of locking engagement with the notch the staple feeder may be removed for the purpose of inserting another strip.

The staple driving lever di is provided with a lower grip handle t2 and is pivotally mounted on the pin il between the side walls of the housing I5. This lever is preferably formed of sheet metal, the two side portions of the-lever being folded upwardly from the grip-handle portion, and the forward end portions of the sides being bent into engagement with each other and secured together, as by spot-welding, to form a driver-actuating bolt portion 43, the forward end of which engages the slot 44 of the staple driver 45 disposed in the passage 22 and projects through a slot 45 formed in the transverse front wall portion of the member 25.

The upper edge of the bolt portion t3 is straight and normally engages the cross pins 23 and 25, being pressed into such engagement by a spring 4l connected between a hook 58 formed on the grip handle 52 and a hook 59 formed on the anvil ,member I4, and pressing the upper jaw into abutting relation with the limit stop edge pore tions i8 of the housing i0. A hair-pin spring 55 has one end secured, as at 5l, to the base of the extension 2 and its other end engaged with the grip handle i2 and exerts pressure on the handle 42 and its bolt portion 53 in clockwise direction about the pivot pin il, and pressure on the eX- tension 2 and the member 2l and cross pins 23 and 25 carried thereby in counter-clockwise direction, whereby the cross-pins 23 and 25 of the driver housing are normally pressed into engagement 4with the bolt portion 43, as shown in Fig. 2.

Upon the bolt 43 there is mounted a locking member comprising an upper transverse portion 52 engaged with the upper edge of the bolt and side portions 53 and 5ft disposed at each side. The side portion 53 is provided at its forward edge, which is flush with the forward edge of the upper portion 52, with an inwardly bent lug 55 projecting beneath the lower edge 55 of the forward end portion of the bolt portion 413, this edge portion 55 being parallel to the upper` edge of the bolt portion d3, and which lug 55 is adapted in a retracted position of the locking member, as will presently more fully appear, to enter a notch 5'! provided in the edge of the bolt portion i3 at the inner end of the edge portion 56. The side portion 5G projects forwardly of the upper portion so that its upper edge is normally beneath the cross-pin 23 and iiush with tho upper edge of the bolt, and at its lower edge is provided with a 45 angle cam surface 58 outwardly oifset from the lug and adapted, as will presently more fully appear, to cooperate with the cross pin 25.

Slots 555-55 are provided in the respective side portions 53 and 551 which are engaged by the ends of a pin G5 secured in the bolt 5S. Hair-pin springs 5 l-G having their coil portions mounted on the ends of the pin have one end engaged beneath a pin 62 secured to the bolt 43 and the other end engaged behind lugs 53--53 bent outwardly from the side portions 53 and 54. These springs normally press the locking member forwardly Fig. 10 and at the same time in clock-wise direction aboutvthe pin 5U to press the lug 55 against the lower edge portion 56 of the bolt.

The operation is as follows:-

As shown in Fig. 2 the lower edge of the staple driver is directly above, but slightly spaced from a staple to be driven, the upper edge of the forward end of the bolt 43 is engaged with the cross-pin 23, and the locking member is retained 1n retracted position through engagement of the forward edge of its upper portion 52 with the pin 23, the spring 6| exerting a forward pressure thereon, but not enough to overcome the retaining force of the spring 50. The material B to be stapled is placed between the plier jaws and the grip handles are pressedtogether, first bringing the upper jaw downwardly to grip the material, and then causing the bolt 33 to move the staple driver #i5 downwardly in the groove 22, severing a staple from the staple strip and driving it toward the material. This through the fact that resistance offered by the spring #il to relative movement between the grip handles il and 62 is less than the resistance offered by the spring 55 izo-relative movement between the handle i2 and the staple carrying member 2i and its associated parts. As soon as the bolt 23 is moved suciently to start the severing and drivinglof the staple the locking member is released and the forward edge of its portion 52 moves beneath the pin 23, as shown in Fig. 6. As long as it remains in this position action is insured the lbolt will be prevented from returning to its initial position, and the driver 45 will remain in the staple passage to prevent movement of another staple into place. This condition continues until the staple being driven is 'entirely cleared. Fig. 6 shows the staple driven almost clear and the bolt and driver allowed to retract to the position where the locking member prevents complete retraction, making it compulsory to completely clear the staple before complete retraction is possible, and as will now beexplained.

As the cam surface 58 comes into engagement with the pin 24 the locking member starts to retract to move the lug 55 into relation with the retaining notch l of the bolt. As shown in Fig. 7 the staple is almost clear and the lug is about to enter the notch, and as shown in Fig. 8, the staple has cleared and the lughas entered the notch, the spring 6I snapping it into place. As the bolt returns to its normal position against the pin 23 the upper edge of the forwardly projecting end of the side portion 54 of the locking member iirst engages the pin 23 pressing the locking member in counter-clockwise direction to release the lug 55 from the notch 51 and permit the parts to again assume the position shown in Fig. 2, ready to drive another staple.

The staple pliers according to my invention are extremely simple in construction and operation, clogging of the staples is eiectually prevented, and the possibility of breakage and Wear of the parts greatly reduced. The guide passage 22 is accurately formed by the assembly of the members I9, 20, and 2l, an extremely simple -construction as compared to previous methods requiring machining of the guide passage. In order to repair or replace any of the parts, it is only necessary to remove the rivets 23, 24 and 25, which may be readily done by a service man. .At the same time'all of the parts are effectually -enclosed and protected, so that they cannot be readily tampered with, or damaged by rough handling.

I have illustrated and described a preferred :and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made :therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. In a stapling device, a staple strip guide, a staple driver, a lever engaged with said driver for imparting reciprocating movement thereto, abutment means including a portion normally engaged by said lever, a spring pressed locking member movably mounted on said lever adapted upon initial movement of said driver in staple driving direction to move relative to said abutment means to block complete return movement of said driver, cam means adapted during the staple driving movement of said driver to retract said locking member, retaining means adapted upon completion of the staple driving movement of said driver and complete retraction of said locking member to retain said locking member in retracted position to permit complete return movement of said driver, and releasing means adapted upon complete return movement of said driver to engage said abutment means to release said locking member from said retaining means.

2. In a stapling device, a stable strip guide, a staple driver, a lever engaged with said driver for imparting reciprocating movement thereto, abutment means including a portion normally engaged by said lever, a spring pressed locking member movably mounted on said lever for sliding and rotary movement thereon adapted upon initial movement of said driver in staple driving direction to have projecting slidingA movement into relation with said abutment means to block complete return movement of said driver, cam means adapted during the staple driving movement lof said driver to'retract said locking member, and retaining means adapted upon completion of the staple driving movement of said driver and complete retraction off said locking member to retain said locking member in retracted position to permit complete return movement of said driver, said abutment means adapted upon complete return movement of -said driver to engage and rotate said locking member to release it from said retaining means.

3. In a stapling device, a staple strip guide, a staple driver, a lever engaged with said driver for imparting reciprocating movement thereto, abutment means including a portion normally engaged by said lever, a spring pressed locking m'ember movably mounted on said lever for sliding and rotary movement thereon normally retained in partially projected position by said abutment means and adapted upon initial movement of said driver in staple driving' direction to have complete projecting sliding. movement relative to said abutment means to block complete return movement of said driver, cam means adapted during the staple driving movement of said driver to retract said locking member, and retaining means adapted upon completion of the staple driving movement of said driver and cornplete retraction of said locking member to retain said locking member in retracted position to permit complete return movement of said driver, said abutment means adapted upon complete return movement of said driver to engage and rotate said locking member to release it from said retaining means.

4. In a stapling device, a staple strip guide, a staple driver, a lever engaged with said driver for imparting reciprocating movement thereto, a pair of fixed spaced abutment means, one above and the other below said lever, said one abutment means including a portion normally engaged by said lever, a spring pressed locking member movably mounted on said lever for sliding and rotary movement thereon normally retained in partially projected position by said one abutment means and adapted upon initial movementv of said driver in staple driving direction to have complete projecting sliding movement into relation with said one abutment means to block complete return movement of said driver, cam means on said locking member adapted during the staple driving movement of said driver to engage said other abutment means to retract said locking member, and retaining means adapted upon completion of the staple driving movement of said driver and complete retraction of said lockingmember to retain said locking member in retracted position through rotary movement of said locking member to permit complete return movement of said driver, said one abutment means adapted upon complete return movement of said driver to engage and rotate said locking member to release it from said retaining means.

5. In a stapling device, a casing comprising a member of U-shaped cross-section constituting a base wall and Side walls, a second member of U-shape in cross-section constituting a front wall and sidewalls, a third member of U-shape in'crosssection constitutinga; top; wall and side walls, the respective sidewalls of two of said members beingengaged at each side of the respective side walls of. VVthe other'member, means securing together said members, the forward edge of said basewall being Arecessed and constituting with the inner surfacelv of said front wall a staple ejecting passage, a staplestrip guide within said casing, andstaple driving means within said casing adaptedl to drve a staple from said ejecting passage. e

, 6.5In astapling device, a casing comprising a member of VU-shaped cross-section constituting a base wall Vand side walls, a second member of U- shape in cross-section constituting a front wall and side walls, a third member of U-shape in cross-sectionconstituting a top wall and side walls, the respective side walls of two of saidl members being engaged at each side of the respective side walls of the other member, means securing together said members, the forward edges of the intermediate side walls being engaged with the inner surface of said front wall,

'and the forward edge of the inner sidewalls beingk a base wall and side walls, a second member of Ulshape in lcross-section constituting a front wall and side walls, a third member of U-shape inv cross-section lconstituting a top wall and side walls,'the respective side walls of two of said members being engaged at each side of the respectivel side walls of the other member, means securing 'together -said members, the forward edges of theintermediate side walls being engaged with the inner surface of said front wall, and the forward edge of the inner side walls being spaced from said `inner surface of said front wall and forming therewith and with theinner surfaces of the, intermediate sidewalls a staple driver passage, the forward edge of said base wall being recessed and constituting with the inner surface of said yfront' wall a staple ejecting passage, a staple stripvguide within said casing, and staple driving means within said driver passage adapted to drive a staple from said ejecting passage.

8. In a stapling device, a handle member having side walls and a lower anviljaw, a pivot shaft extending between said side walls, and a second handle member. having alever extending between said side walls and pivoted on said shaft, an upper jaw casing member opposed to said anvil jaw also pivotally mounted on said shaft, a staple strip guidecarried by saidoasing member, and staple driving means carried by saidecasing member and adapted to be actuated by said lever, said lever extending into said casing member and being enclosed thereby.

9. In a stapling device, an upper handle member having side walls and a lower anvil jaw, and a lower handle member having a lever extending between said side walls and pivoted thereto, an upper jaw casing member opposed to said anvil jaw also pivotally mounted on said side walls, a Lstaple strip guide carried by said casing member, said lever extending into said casing member, and staple driving means carried by said casing member directly engaged by said lever and adapted to be actuated by said lever to move downwardly relatively to'said casing member as s aid lower handle member is pressed upwardly toward said upper handle member.

EARL C. BUNNELL. 

